Sections 5-17 Summary

Whitman writes a lot about the experiences of his own body in regards to that of another person. The poet is fond of discussing how his body feels in conjunction with another and how his emotions and mental state are altered by the presence of someone with an intoxicating personality. The descriptions are not lewd but expressive, explaining the touch of a hand or lips upon his bare breast or the feel of a kiss placed lightly on his mouth.

Whitman often speaks of mortality. The poet does not seem to be afraid of mortality; rather sees it as a mysterious entity, one that does not seem to affect him any more than the average person. There is no visible fear, perhaps only a sense of mild curiosity. For Whitman, there is a continuum from birth through life unto death and...